 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: chorusgirl
Date: 2010-03-12 12:52
I apologize for this not being a clarinet question, but I know that many of you play in the pit for musicals - maybe you have some suggestions for us.
Last night at dress rehearsal, the show's director descended upon the pit complaining that our pit lights were too bright. We now have duct-taped blue gels on our pit lights. Great for the audience, but now I can't read half of my book (I'm playing a synthesized strings book, hand scribed - bad enough to read, especially in the dark).
This is my first time playing with this high school - so I don't want to complain too much, but I can't read the music!
Have any of you had this issue, and how did you resolve it? I'm begging the art teachers in my school today for different colored gels that I'll try out tonight, but would love other suggestions. Thank you!
(Again, I know it's not a clarinet Q, so if you need to remove this Q, I understand!)
Marge
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Author: kdk
Date: 2010-03-12 14:05
This sounds like a newbie director. I assume the "pit" is really at floor level and not sunken. The best solution would be for the pit conductor to quietly explain to him that the light with the gels is inadequate and get him to back off.
Alternatively, if you're using 40 watt bulbs in the lights, you could try cutting down to 25 watts and see if that's enough to see the music and dim enough to satisfy your director. If blackouts are his issue, the pit lights could be turned off when necessary, probably by running all the power through one master switch that the conductor could control (or maybe the pit's power is switchable from the light board) - of course there wouldn't be any music at all during those scene changes unless you memorized it. The battery-powered high intensity lights (which the school probably doesn't own) are more directed and might not affect the stage lighting as much as incandescent ones, but if the director's issue is simply audience distraction, they probably wouldn't help enough.
Sooner or later the director is going to have to learn to live with pit lighting or get the school district to sink the pit (expensive).
Karl
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2010-03-12 14:46
I haven't played in a show like you described, but I've had a problem with too low lights for other reasons e.g. not enough light in the area, the person in charge of the lights forgets to turn the correct ones on when we need them (like in a rock concert), etc. etc.
There are some solutions. Sometimes I sit really close to the sheet music so I can see a bit better even in the dark. Sometimes the production is organizing small lights to put on the music stands which solves the problem. Sometimes someone explains the problem and they organize or agree to more lights so it's possible to read.
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Author: chorusgirl
Date: 2010-03-12 16:18
Thank you both for your replies. I think we are using 40 watt bulbs, so I'm running out this afternoon to get a 25 watt and see how that is. I am also going to pick up a tiny maglite or booklite so that I can see the console - it's hard to make voicing changes in the dark!! I may go to cue up a harp and end up with a trumpet instead!
I've been playing school shows for more than 25 years, and this is the first time I've had this complaint about pit lights. When needed, we've just switched off our own lights, and then switched them back on. Every school I've even played for, I have never actually been in a sunken pit. Do some highschools have that set up? I guess I've just never been in one. So, yes, we are just on the floor in front of the stage.
The director of the show has apparantly been here for years doing things her way, and the conductor is relatively new (maybe even untenured?) so that's a battle for them to figure out.
Thanks again for your replies and suggestions!
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Author: mikeW
Date: 2010-03-12 16:25
I don't think this is a "newbie" director problem. It is a recurring problem. The easiest thing is to try a gel that will let more light through. Barring that, is your light shining out at a particular angle, or all angles? (For example, are you sitting sideways, forwards or bacwards to the audience.) If your stand "faces" the audience (so you are facing away from the stage), you could get one of those solid-backed music lights, so no light leaks out behind the light. If you are sitting to the side, you could try putting up some black plastic or cloth as a screen between you and the audience (be careful about taping cloth to a stand light, as this can lead to embarrassing fire alarms during a performance). If you have your back to the audience, you can try angling the light downward a bit more or making a "visor" for the front of the light.
The music director and director can usually come to some solution that everyone can live with. Usually...
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Author: kdk
Date: 2010-03-12 17:13
Well, the only reason I assumed the director is a newbie is that if she has done this before (as apparently this one has, many times) it wouldn't be the first time the problem has come up for her, and I'd think she might have found a workable solution long ago. She must enjoy re-inventing the wheel each year. How are the players in the pit who have played for this school in the past reacting?
Yes, there are high schools that have sunken pits - I just played a show for an expensive private school in a pit below stage level, and the public school district next to the one I live in has two high schools both of which have sunken pits. Most high schools are not so well equipped. I imagine it costs significantly extra and the floor space is lost for normal school use unless it's also equipped with either elevators under the floor or covers that can be installed and removed manually as needed.
Karl
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Author: chorusgirl
Date: 2010-03-12 19:00
None of us was thrilled about having to use the gels on our lamps - there were a few who seemed mildly annoyed by it - but I think this has come up before because they seemed to just sigh and go along with it.
I know there are some high schools around with sunken pits - I've just never played for a school with one. *sigh*
I'm off to buy a flashlight, booklight, and 25 watt lamp. AND some black posterboard that maybe I can tape around my stand. Thanks again for the suggestions!
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2010-03-12 19:03
Do the gels completely cover the lights? If so, the solution may be overkill. If the gels do cover the entire light, you might try cutting a hole in the gel that allows more light to hit your page directly without being visible from the audience. The hole is probably a good idea anyway -- as a vent to allow some heat to escape.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: jimk
Date: 2010-03-12 21:44
There have already been a lot of good suggestions. I especially particularly agree with the person who said to get a stand light with a closed back if the one you have is an open one. For example, Manhasset stand lights emit a lot less stray light than some of the other brands.
If you are using a standard tubular bulb in the light, consider changing the type of light bulb to a whiter light at a lower wattage. It will cost a little more than a standard bulb, but it can improve the contrast on the page. I haven't found a compact fluorescent bulb that fits a Manhasset stand light, but there are at least two different types of incandescent tubes that will fit it. Unfortunately, the tube that emits the whiter light is slightly more expensive than the usual tube.
How white is the paper? If the book is on yellowed paper, it might help to photocopy it onto a brilliant white paper (naturally destroying the copy after the show). Yellow doesn't copy especially well on a black and white copier, so the contrast ends up greatly improved.
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Author: chorusgirl
Date: 2010-03-13 13:29
Thanks again to you all for the suggestions.
It turns out that they are using new pit lights this year that sit a bit higher on the stands - and do not have the adjustable "hood" that you can swivel up or down.
Most of the players have just lowered/adjusted their stands so it is no longer a problem. My problem is that my keyboard sits a bit higher, and the issue was that it was shining on the stage so during blackouts you could see the movement during scene changes.
This issue has come up in the past for different reasons, and they've resolved it.
For me, I am now using a standard piano lamp with two tubular bulbs, with a blue gel over it. It still lights up the music well enough for me to see, without casting a shadow on the stage.
The other option would have been to move me further away, but the conductor preferred having the two keyboard players front and center.
Anyway, we worked it out.
I just want to once again thank everyone here - this is by far the best forum I've found anywhere, and even though I'm not a clarinetist, I lurk here for all the intelligent, and fun, discussions, and continue to learn a lot!
Now, my youngest son is taking up the trumpet - I need to find a great brass/trumpet forum. Any ideas? 
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